Letters to the editor: Oct. 24

J&C dropped ball on Fever's championship

Again the paper does not honor the women's sports. Our own Indiana Fever wins the WNBA championship and we find it on Page B4 of the Sports section with a small article from someone else. I would think we could have an article and picture from our own paper. Maybe on Page 1?

Bettie Bloom

Lafayette

Flu shots protect loved ones, community

When you get your flu shot, you do more than protect yourself from illness; you protect your loved ones and our community.

Influenza virus causes mild to severe respiratory infection, and can be fatal in rare instances. Children, people 65 or older and those with asthma, diabetes or chronic lung disease are especially susceptible to the dangers of influenza infection. Contact with even mildly ill people can cause serious illness in another. In fact, nationally more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with flu each year.

Thankfully, the flu vaccine will help keep you well and prevent the spread of flu. Everyone age 6 months and older is recommended to get a flu vaccine every year. The more people who get the vaccine, the safer our community will be.

Though some may worry receiving a flu shot will give them influenza, that is not true. Flu shots do not cause influenza, they protect us from it. Side effects are infrequent and minimal. In fact, the most common side effect is mild discomfort at the injection site.

Now that fall is here, influenza virus will start spreading in our community. If you have not yet received your flu shot, now is the time, as it takes about two weeks for our bodies to develop protection. The benefits will last well into spring.

Flu shots can be obtained at local health care providers, pharmacies and at many of our workplaces. Get immunized to protect yourself, your loved ones and our community. For more information, speak to your health care provider or go online to flu.gov.

Jim Bien, M.D.

vice president of quality and patient safety, Indiana University Health Arnett, Lafayette

How low can you go
on TV Journal photo?

Does the J&C not have a moral compass? I realize that I can change channels or just turn off the TV. But to put out a front-page picture on the TV Journal showing an alleged orgy with condoms lying all over is the bottom of the barrel. In most households the TV Journal will stay out for the week for all to see - unless you hide it under the couch.

However, coming from the Journal & Courier, this does not surprise me at all. This is the type of newspaper you have become over the past few decades. Your liberal, progressive values are really showing more and more every day. So sad.

Ted Oswalt

Lafayette

Donnelly and the failed Stupak bargain

An important issue to consider in the Indiana Senate race involves Joe Donnelly's participation with Bart Stupak in the bargaining leading up to the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. Remember, Rep. Stupak led a coalition, including Rep. Donnelly, which required provisions (via executive order) that would prevent federal funding of abortions. Former Rep. Stupak is on record that current Health and Human Services regulations violate the compromise, and now allow illegal (his word) federal funding of abortion. Video of this statement can be found on YouTube with the title "Stupak: HHS Mandate is Illegal."

It is important to consider that Donnelly cast a vote for a bill that is unpopular, after joining a coalition that sought a concession that has now been circumvented. Was his support of Obamacare a mistake? Has his position on federal funding of abortions changed? Will he continue to support Obamacare in the Senate if elected?

The abortion debate matters to many Hoosiers. Political maneuvering to gain legislative support from proclaimed pro-life legislators, that ultimately fails, leading to federal funding of abortion is not the hallmark of a principled leader.

Brian Bokneyi

West Lafayette

Obama has failed on international fronts

In 2008, Americans foolishly believed we could correct national economic decline by plunging further into debt. Under Barack Obama, the federal budget deficit and national debt have increased drastically, economic growth has stagnated, unemployment has worsened, more people are dependent on government financial support, reforming economically and demographically unsustainable entitlement programs has not occurred, a fiscally reckless health care plan restricting religious liberties has been enacted, and we are about to be hit by expiration of the 2001 Bush tax cuts.

Our international clout is weakened by Obama's incompetent and deceitful response to the Libyan terrorist attack, his failure to be candid about Islamist terrorism's persistent and evil reality demonstrated by his naive support for Arab Spring revolutions, failing to support Israel and take tough action against Iran's nuclear program, ignoring the danger to U.S. security from Mexico's drug war, failing to confront China's increasing assertiveness and North Korea's nuclear program, and deteriorating security situations in Afghanistan and Iraq have not been addressed with political and strategic realism.

This is truly a consequential election. Re-electing Obama produces further economic and international decline and enhancing personal dependency on unsustainable governmental social assistance programs. Choosing Mitt Romney gives the U.S. the chance to restore long-term national economic solvency, encourage job creation, promote personal economic empowerment and individual responsibility, and restoring American pre-eminence internationally. We need a competent, intelligent and intellectually substantive president like Romney, who is focused on serious governmental policymaking, instead of Obama's perpetual election campaigning.

Bert Chapman

Lafayette

Hockema wouldn't have run to Illinois

I would like to respond to a recent letter to the editor regarding Sheila Klinker and Chuck Hockema.

I think everyone agrees that Klinker is a wonderful member of the Lafayette community. However, Hockema is the better choice to represent District 27.

The letter writer excuses Klinker and others for illegally fleeing the Statehouse, bringing work there to a grinding halt, because they didn't like some of the legislation that would likely pass if it came to a vote. What would happen to most of us if we decided not to show up to our workplace because we didn't like what was scheduled for the day, even if we were working on something else at an undisclosed location?

Why does the writer claim that Hockema isn't qualified to represent District 27? Chuck is a hardworking individual, who, according to Dave Bangert's column of Sept. 4, not only has business management and law degrees, but also has started and run businesses since his sophomore year at Purdue. Chuck has also has received the official endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business.

It is disappointing that there won't be the usual debate between the candidates to represent District 27 and voters won't have the opportunity this election year compare the candidates, side by side.

Hockema may not have the flair of Klinker, but he is a person of substance who will certainly work proactively and effectively for District 27 and Indiana.

Carolyn Megathlin

Lafayette

Ritz will defend, discuss and develop

Candy and soda pop loaded with sugar must be removed from our children's schools. This war cry reminds me of what Tony Bennett is doing to our kids - removing the opportunities for creative thinking and the sweetness of learning and replacing them with testing, testing and more testing.

Let's not allow Tony and his out-of-state donors to destroy our public schools, demonize our teachers and deprive our kids of a meaningful, motivating education.

A vote for Glenda Ritz for state school superintendent will mean more time to educate, less time to test. She has plans to encourage bright young minds to pursue a career in education while sincerely respecting the contributions of experienced teachers. Ritz, a teacher for 33 years, will stand up for public education against those who seem bent on destroying it.

Her 3D Vision for Indiana will defend, discuss and develop best practices to prepare all our children to be positive contributors to our communities.